Former 400-pound teammate questions Sanchez’s preparation

Now benched by the New York Jets, quarterback Mark Sanchez is taking it from all angles, including from former teammates.

Former Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was among the first to line up at the trough, saying Sanchez was more worried about off-field opportunities than getting himself ready to lead the team.

“[Sanchez] had a stellar offensive line,” Jenkins said on Showtime’s “Inside The NFL,” via Mike Vorkunov of the Newark Star-Ledger. “He had running backs that kept the pressure off of him. He had the opportunity to grow and develop. What Sanchez has to take responsibility for is during the time that he could have gotten better he wanted to sit back. He wanted to pose for magazines, worry about his haircuts and do all of that stuff.

“I’m just saying, from what I saw him do, it was a lot better then what it is now. But he coasted. They coddled him. That was what was going on. This is a man’s profession. You have to man up at some point in time and take care.”

Yes, let’s question the offseason dedication of the first quarterback to pose for GQ (not even close). And if you spent your offseasons worrying about cheeseburgers and ballooning up to 400 pounds while skipping team conditioning workouts (as Jenkins did), you’re an even higher authority on preparation.

The issue isn’t anything in particular Jenkins is saying, as it’s far from the first time the budding television personality has made outrageous statements to try to get himself noticed.

The issue is the Sanchez has become an easy mark, and a red herring for the real issues the Jets have.

He’s far from an elite quarterback, but he’s proven himself to be sufficient to make playoff runs (two AFC Championship Games, four road playoff wins), when properly surrounded. The Jets failed to do that this year, lacking the kind of run game they needed or any downfield threats once Santonio Holmes was injured. And adding a sideshow in Tim Tebow only created more pressure for him to perform in an untenable situation, making things worse rather than better.

No amount of haircuts, or cheeseburgers, can change the fact Sanchez never had a chance this year.

Here’s the thing I never understand about this (all too common) type of criticisms of critics: the author is bagging on Jenkins for criticizing Sanchez because Jenkins didn’t put in the same level of preparation that he demands of Sanchez.

By that logic, what gives the author authority to defend Sanchez in this situation? Did he put in the preparation necessary to become an elite QB, so he is more qualified than Jenkins? IF the standard the demanded is that one who didn’t do what is necessary to prepare can not question another’s preparation, how can a writer ever criticize a professional athlete?

My point is that you don’t have to be an elite QB to know what it takes to be an elite QB. The author’s defense of Sanchez is no more valid than Jenkins’ criticism, yet not only does the author give HIS opinion, he dismisses Jenkins’ opinion.

People base assumptions on where he was drafted and what his contract states. Coming out of USC he was nothing more than then next california golden boy…ala Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer and now Matt Barkley..Perrenial Backups to say the least!

The problem I have with Jenkins’ comments is the way it implies he might be a pretty good QB if he just studied or practiced a little more. But look at how many passes sail high, or are thrown behind a receiver. They say he can “make the throws”, but half the time the throws are six or ten feet from where they should be.

And how many times does Sanchez himself say, “I can’t do those stupid things”, and he goes out and does the same stupid things.

There’s been thousand of college QB’s that have failed in the NFL, and he’s one of them. The problem for the Jets is what to do with him. I don’t see any teams that would want him, so the Jets are on the hook for millions, do they cut him? or will he be the most costly back up QB in the NFL? The Jets have created this problem, and whoever is responsible for Sanchez contract extension should be fired immediately.

The most depressing thing about sanchez is lack of growth as player… i haven’t seen any improvement at all since he came into the league… first few years he has a good team arousal him and they made the run… but now the personnel are weak and they need a QB who can make that sorry bunch better… but he has shown no growth at all…

Darin must be a Jets fan. I would take the word of a man who was in the locker room with Sanchez over a sports writer anyday. The Jets have a top 10 defense and a good offensive line. Like stated above, Sanchez has just regressed.

Yeah I saw that last night too – I also saw the look on Collinsworth’s face every time this guy (Jenkins) opened his mouth. Don’t know how they found somebody even more obnoxious than Sapp but they did.

I don’t think Sanchez has the emotional make up to be a successful NFL QB. I remember during Hard Knocks a couple of years ago when the coaches asked him what he thought was wrong with the offense and he said “I stink”.

Not in a “I’m taking responsibility” type of way, more in a “I’m really not sure I am good enough” type of way.

That always stayed with me. I just can’t imagine Brady, Brees, Rodgers, or certainly any of the past greats saying something like that.

Kris Jenkins preaching from the pulpit about preparation is like getting dieting advice from Honey Boo Boo.

As far as Sanchez goes, he’s just not a very good quarterback and probably won’t ever be. After 4 years, his best completion percentage is 56.7% (30 quarterbacks have a better completion percentage this year than Sanchez). He has a 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio (again, 30 quarterbacks have better ratios this season). He already ranks in the top 175 in NFL history for fumbles after only 4 seasons.

On the bright side, he was at the controls when they went to 2 AFC Championship games. But let’s face reality, that was more about defense than Sanchez.

No one blames Tom Brady when he gets the new do or man purse, or when Peyton appears in a new commercial, so let’s not argue about that. Instead, I would just prefer to look at Sanchez for what he is: a mediocre starting NFL quarterback, at best.

I am not a big fan of articles like this because the messenger often gets hammered regardless of him having a point. Kris Jenkins weight has nothing to do with his point. He said Sanchez did not prepare and the organization let him coast. That is the point in all of this, not the weight of the messenger. I have said all along that Sanchez and Henne were similar. The difference is Sanchez was selected in the first round. That is the only reason he was afforded more time. Great point Kris.

Bill Parcels says “once a QB goes ‘Hollywood’, he’s done”! Romo went Hollywood, and he has zero Championships. Sanchez went ‘Hollywood’, and he has zero championships. I think when Bill says they go Hollywood what he means is, the QB is more concerned with himself, his image, his marketability, his me-me-me attitude. I’m a Saints fan and i can tell ya, Drew went ‘Hollywood’ this season and his performance stinks. He’s on so many commercials they run back to back sometimes. All his radio shows and appearances for stuff that don’t have nothing to do with football keeps him from preparing the way he should. And it ain’t cuz coach is gone. The colts lost their coach and they have 9 wins with a rookie QB. And i haven’t seen Luck in any commercials or all over the news like football is his side job. Playing QB for the Saints seems like a side-job for Drew Brees to me. because, “he went ‘Hollywood’! Geaux Saints!

“The issue is the Sanchez has become an easy mark, and a red herring for the real issues the Jets have.”

I don’t know, I think the playoff wins his first two years were the “red herring”. I’ll give Sanchez credit for playing some good football in the playoffs, but he has never been that good and the Jets were lucky to even be in the playoffs both his first two years (2009 Colts and Bengals both rested starters the final two weeks, 2010 Sanchez led the league in dropped INTs and could have had way worse numbers) Sanchez’s play is definitely one of the real issues the Jets have.

Let me just say, DG has a lot better of a read on Jenkins than some people here may realize. Fact is, Jenkins’ former team had most of its best seasons without him (minus 03 when he was still a great player). Jenkins needed a change of scenery. I did find it a little surprising that he seemed to like playing for Mangini over Fox. He never seemed the type to embrace a strict type HC and I would say that though both were no nonsense type guys, Mangini was much more restrictive than Fox. Weird.

I agree that whoever picks players for the NYJ is the most to blame. They mangled their receiver corps pretty badly and they handed out some bad contracts, both of which hindered Sanchez who is at best likely a “win with him not more because of him” type QB. I’ve never understood the whole” if a guy isn’t a great QB we shouldn’t get any talent around him to help him” thing. Talent helps your team regardless of who the QB is. And once you find that top level guy, it will help him even more. Look at the Pats when TB went down. They had Moss, Welker, Gaffney and a team willing to fit the O to his skills. Think that didn’t help Cassel, who is a similar type of player to Sanchez?

all I know is that when you watch the Mannings, Brady, Brees, Rodgers, etc…. anyone who is a bonafide franchise QB…. they are working on something almost every second of the game….

they are looking at play sheets, or talking to coaches, or working things with the O line, or jazzing up the WRs, or talking blocking over with the line coach, or working on throwing motion… something….

when the cam is on Sanchez on the sideline… even when they are down by 7 with 2 minutes left…. he is always joking, smiling, and sitting on the bench waiting for the next series… and he’s almost always alone….

that speaks volumes…… Sanchez was never the guy… but Rexxy had to marry him…..